The Queen Pardons Persecuted Gay British Codebreaker Alan Turning 60 Years After His Death
by Will Kohler
Alan
Turing, a British code-breaker during World War II who's skills and
mathematics genius helped lead allied forces to victory over Germany has
received a royal pardon nearly 60 years after he committed suicide
because of his criminal persecution and the chemical castration he was
forced to suffer because of being gay by the country of England in the
1950's.
Turing
developed the Bombe, a code-breaking machine that deciphered messages
encoded by German machines. His work helped change the course of the war
and save thousands of lives but when his homosexuality became known he
was arrested and convicted of homosexual activity, which was illegal at
the time and was forces to make a decision between being chemically
castrated or prison time. Two years after the castration in 1954 Turing
chose ended his life at the age of 41 by eating an apple laced with
cyanide.
Supporters
have long campaigned for Turing to receive greater recognition for his
work and official acknowledgment that his punishment was wrong.
Dr.
Turing deserves to be remembered and recognized for his fantastic
contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science," British
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said in a statement Tuesday. "A pardon
from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."
In
2009 a petition that garnered tens of thousands of signatures succeeded
in getting an apology from then Prime Minister Gordon Brown for
Turing's treatment by the justice system in the 1950s. Brown described
the Turing sentence as "appalling."
"He
truly was one of those individuals we can point to whose unique
contribution helped to turn the tide of war," he wrote, adding, "The
debt of gratitude he is owed makes it all the more horrifying,
therefore, that he was treated so inhumanely."
After
the announcement of the pardon British Prime Minister David Cameron
said Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving
this country in World War II by cracking the German enigma code. "His
action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy
through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to
as the 'father of modern computing.' "
The pardon, under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, goes into effect Tuesday. .
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